Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Guide: Most Reliable Model Years to Buy Used

The Chevrolet Malibu was the flag-bearer of General Motors sedans for a long time until Chevrolet decided to focus its entire attention on SUVs, trucks, and electric vehicles. A mid-size sedan, the Chevrolet Malibu has a long-standing legacy spanning decades (keeping aside a 14-year absence in the mid-80s and 90s).

While the Chevy Malibu evolved across its nine generations, the core aspects of practicality and reliability remained unaffected for much of its existence. Due to this, the Malibu has been a decently popular and reliable option in the used car market. And given that Chevrolet has stopped making sedans, the popularity is only growing among people who still prefer sedans for their attributes.

In this guide, we will focus on some of the most reliable model years of the Chevrolet Malibu, taking various factors into account, such as ownership experiences, reliability rankings, and the number of recalls issued.

Chevrolet Malibu: Model Year History

The Chevrolet Malibu nameplate spanned six decades across nine of its generations, making it one of the most long-standing and successful nameplates in General Motors’ history.

• The first three generations of the Malibu were offered as a top-line sub-series of Chevrolet Chevelle, from which it transitioned to a standalone model (fourth-generation onwards).

• Fourteen years after the discontinuation of the fourth-generation Malibu in 1983, it re-entered the market in 1997 to compete with Japanese sedans arriving in a much more contemporary form, only offered in four-door sedan bodystyle. 

• The eighth-generation Chevrolet Malibu became a global model, and it was also the first time that the Malibu was available with a hybrid powertrain and without a V6 engine in the US.

• The ninth-generation Malibu (2016-2025) is the longest-standing, with a major refresh in 2019.

Quick Rundown of Chevrolet Malibu Generations

Is The Chevrolet Malibu A Reliable Option to Buy Used?

The Chevrolet Malibu has been a go-to in the used car market for its reliability, practicality, and contemporary design, often at a fraction of the original price. With a few model years as exceptions, this Chevy sedan has remained a highly dependable car.

The used car market predominantly has the options of used Malibu cars from the seventh, eighth, and ninth generation models. 

Most used Malibus available today belong to the seventh, eighth, and ninth generations (2008-2025). So, we’ll focus on the reliability of these models

Consistent Reliability Since Seventh-Generation

The Chevy Malibu has remained a reliable car for a large part of its existence since the debut of the seventh-generation model in 2007.

• According to iSeeCars, the reliability ratings of the Malibu are 8.0 for the seventh-gen model, 8.1 for the eighth-gen model, and 8.0 for the ninth-gen model.
• Since 2007, J.D. Power’s quality and reliability indices for all the model years (barring 2008 and 2017 models) of Malibu have been above 80 out of 100, indicating a great and consistent track record.
• Consumer Reports echoes the findings of iSeeCars and J.D. Power, rating most Malibu model years with a reliability score of three or higher out of five.

Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Ratings

Chevrolet Malibu is a sedan with one of the longest-standing reputations in J.D. Power’s quality and reliability indices, which measure long-term dependability based on real ownership experiences. Throughout most of its production run, the Malibu has consistently scored high, reflecting minimal ownership issues.

• Barring the 2008 and 2017 editions, every Malibu model year has earned a quality and reliability score above 80 out of 100 from J.D. Power.
• Notably, the 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023 model years of Malibu have 85+ scores in this index, marking them as standouts in the Malibu’s reliability track record.

Chevrolet Malibu Recalls

The number of recalls and registered customer complaints reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the Chevrolet Malibu has been considerably lower, especially in the later years of the sedan. While the 2013 and 2016 model years have maximum recalls (10), the later model years of Malibu – 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024 – have been issued only one recall each.

Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reports

The data from NHTSA also suggest that the number of registered customer complaints has reduced gradually from the seventh till the last generation.

• The consumer complaints exceeded 1000 in number for every model year of the sixth generation, but dropped gradually with the seventh-generation model.
• The number of complaints dropped significantly to three-digit figures in the model years of the eighth generation, further reducing to even lower two-digit figures in the later model years of the ninth-generation version.

Commonly-Faced Issues in Chevrolet Malibu: Things to Keep in Mind

Chevrolet worked extensively on the engineering aspects of the Malibu from its sixth-generation versions to make it reliable in the league of Japanese mid-size sedans, a plan in which it succeeded. However, there are a few chinks in its armor, with some common issues that troubled many of its owners, which are as follows:

• The sixth (2004-2006) and seventh generations (2008-2010) saw problems with steering, brake lights, and occasional seat belt malfunctions.  
• While the 2011 model was highly reliable, a few of its owners faced starting difficulties due to a broken transmission fluid pump.
• The 2013-2014 models were plagued with steering defects again, alongside issues such as faulty defrosters and loss of brake vacuum assist.
• The initial model years of the ninth-generation Malibu (2016-2019) are notorious for loss of power and stalling issues with their 1.5-liter turbocharged engines because of an ECM error. Another issue was a faulty “Shift to Park” message in the instrument console despite the transmission lever being in ‘park’ mode. 

Most Reliable Model Years Of Chevrolet Malibu

Except for a few outliers, most model years from the seventh, eighth, and ninth-generation Malibus are safe choices. The newer ninth-generation models, in particular, boast some of the best reliability records of the lineup.

After some nitpicking, these are the most reliable model years of Malibu one can buy in the used car market:

2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu

The later years of the seventh-generation Malibu, the 2011 and 2012 model years, overshadowed all their predecessor editions with their impeccable reliability, a fact reflected in J.D. Power’s Quality and Reliability ratings.  

• Chevrolet issued three recalls for these model years of Malibu – random illumination of brake lights, premature wear of a ball joint in the steering system, and faulty steel cables in the seat belts.
• Both the 2.4-liter inline-four and 3.5-liter V6 engines offered in these years have a proven track record for durability in the Malibu lineup

2015 Chevrolet Malibu

The final model year of the eighth-generation Malibu, the 2015 version, is widely regarded as the most reliable of its generation.

• It stands as the only Malibu model year with a 90+ score in J.D. Power’s Quality and Reliability Index, achieving an impressive 92 out of 100.
•  The three recalls issued for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu were to address inadvertent auto closing of the roof glass panel, potential rupture of side impact airbag modules, and the possibility of removing the key when not parked.
• In addition to the 2.5-liter inline-four and 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, the 2015 Malibu was also available with the option of a 2.4-liter mild-hybrid inline-four engine.

2019 Chevrolet Malibu

After a few initial years of lower-than-expected success and reliability reports, the ninth-generation Malibu bounced back with the 2019 model.

• The 2019 Malibu became the first of its generation to achieve an 85+ score in J.D. Power’s Quality and Reliability Index, earning 87 out of 100.
• The only recall issued was to address the improper functioning of the seatbelt retractor.  
• The 2019 Malibu was also the last model year to offer the 1.8-liter inline-four hybrid engine, alongside two petrol engine options: a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four and a 2.0-liter inline-four.

2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu

The 2022 and 2023 models carried forward the momentum established by the 2019 Malibu, standing out as modern, reliable choices in the ninth-generation lineup

• Both model years received a solid 85 out of 100 in J.D. Power’s Quality and Reliability Index.

• The only recall issued for these Malibu model years was to rectify the improperly welded front impact bar.  
• Under the hood, both came equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, while the 2022 Malibu was also the last to feature the 2.0-liter inline-four engine.

Conclusion

The Malibu began its journey as a spin-off from the Chevrolet Chevelle in the 1960s, but after a long gap, it returned with a new approach and the intent of becoming a successful model in the 21st century. The Chevrolet Malibu planned to take on the Japanese sedans in their own game – reliability and ease of driving, which proved to be largely successful.

If you are in the used car market for a Chevrolet Malibu, the later model years of the seventh and eighth generations and the mid and later years of the ninth generation should appeal to you more. These model years of Malibu scored highly in quality and reliability ratings due to positive ownership experiences and minimal recalls and mechanical and electrical issues.

FAQs

Q1.What year is the Chevy Malibu most reliable?

With the highest J.D. Power quality and reliability index of 92 out of 100 and minimal recalls and customer complaints, the 2015 Malibu is considered the most reliable model year of the sedan.

Q2.How many miles can a Chevy Malibu handle?

With proper maintenance, the Chevrolet Malibu can handle 150,000 to 200,000 miles. However, some owners even reported covering around 300,000 miles with no significant repair work.

Q3.What is the most common problem with the Chevrolet Malibu?

The commonly faced issues by Chevrolet Malibu owners include steering and brake light failures in seventh and eighth-generation models and loss of power in the 1.5-liter turbo engine in the ninth-generation version.

Q4.Is the Chevy Malibu reliable?

The Chevrolet Malibu has been a highly reliable car in most of its model years, particularly the 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023 model years.

Q5.What year to stay away from the Chevy Malibu?

Some older model years of the Malibu, including 2004-2006 and 2008-2010, can be avoided due to their age and relatively more serious steering issues.